RI avoids S. Korea in taekwondo pinweight

RI avoids S. Korea in taekwondo pinweight

JAKARTA (JP): Two Indonesian taekwondo athletes are to move up
a division in the 13th Asian Games to avoid a clash with the
sport's powerhouse South Korea.

The secretary-general of the Indonesian Taekwondo Association,
Ahmad Zarkasih Hamid, said on Friday that the decision had been
taken as a result of fears that a clash with the South Koreans
would cost Indonesia its chance of winning medals in the
discipline.

"During an overseas stint in South Korea recently, the South
Korean athletes stated their desire to defeat us at the Asiad,"
Ahmad said.

Women's light flyweight (below 47 kilograms) Juwana Wangsa is
to compete in the flyweight division (47-51 kg), while her male
counterpart Satrio Rahardani will have to increase his weight by
at least four kilograms in order to qualify for the men's
flyweight division (54-58 kg).

"Both athletes have been training for the two divisions, so
they won't have any problems if they have to change classes at
the Asiad," Zarkasih said.

Taekwondo is one of 11 sports in which Indonesia is hoping to
take medals in the games, which take place in Bangkok from Dec. 6
to Dec. 20. Four male and two female athletes will represent the
country in the Asiad taekwondo event.

Indonesia's taekwondo team won two silvers and a bronze in the
previous games, held four years ago in Hiroshima, Japan.
Indonesia brought home a total of three golds, 11 silvers and 12
bronzes from the games in Japan.

This time around, the Indonesian team of 132 athletes has set
a target of six golds, 11 silvers and 13 bronze medals. (yan)